Top 5 factors that made RCB champions again:Kohli’s consistency despite multiple opening partners, 8 match winners in 11 games

Royal Challengers Bengaluru had to wait 18 years for their inaugural IPL title. However, the franchise had a turn of fate, and they bagged consecutive titles in two seasons. The team that was once called an ‘underachiever’ has now become champion for the second consecutive time. It won the IPL 2026 trophy by defeating Gujarat by 5 wickets in the final played on Sunday. Captain Rajat Patidar became only the third captain to win two consecutive IPL trophies. Before him, only Mahendra Singh Dhoni (2009, 2010) and Rohit Sharma (2019, 2020) had been able to do so with CSK and MI, respectively. The biggest reason for RCB’s success was that the team did not rely on any single player. In batting, Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar and Devdutt Padikkal scored runs. In bowling, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Rasikh Salam and Josh Hazlewood took responsibility. 8 different players from the team also became Player of the Match throghout the season. 5 Factors Behind RCB’s Title Win 1. Top order didn’t let pressure build Bengaluru’s batting was its biggest strength this season. Opener Virat Kohli scored an unbeaten 75 runs in the final to make the team champions. He scored 675 runs in 16 matches. His strike rate was 165.84, and he scored 5 half-centuries along with one century. Captain Rajat Patidar also batted aggressively. He scored 501 runs in 15 matches with a strike rate of 192.69. Meanwhile, Devdutt Padikkal further strengthened the top order by scoring 464 runs. These three batsmen together scored 1640 runs. Meanwhile, Venkatesh Iyer scored 209 runs in 6 innings. In the final, he played a quickfire knock of 32 runs off 16 balls. This was the reason why RCB did not have to face much pressure in the middle order throughout the season. 2. Bhuvneshwar-Hazlewood led bowling attack RCB’s bowling unit looked very balanced this season. Veteran pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar led the team by taking 28 wickets in 16 matches. Rasikh Salam impressed everyone by taking 19 wickets in 12 matches. Meanwhile, Josh Hazlewood took 15 wickets playing only 13 matches. Jacob Duffy also contributed by taking 9 wickets in 6 matches. Krunal Pandya played a crucial role in the spin department. He scored 226 runs and also took 14 wickets. Due to his contribution with the bat and ball, he proved to be the best all-rounder of the tournament. When fast bowlers couldn’t take wickets, spinners like Krunal and Suyash Sharma (9 wickets) would change the course of the match by restricting runs in the middle overs. This balance kept RCB’s bowling distinct from other teams without letting the pressure go away. 3. 8 Different Match Winners The identity of any champion team lies in its match-winners, and RCB had no shortage of them. This season, 8 different players from the team became Player of the Match. Virat Kohli won this award a maximum of 3 times. Josh Hazlewood won it 2 times. Meanwhile, Tim David, Jacob Duffy, Venkatesh Iyer, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Rajat Patidar, and Phil Salt bagged Player of the Match once each. This means the team’s victory did not depend solely on Kohli or Patidar. In different matches, different players took responsibility and led the team to victory. This was the reason that when one player had a bad day, another player took the team to the finish line of victory. 4. Won 86% of matches at home ground RCB turned their home ground into a fortress this season. The team won 6 out of 7 matches played at their home ground, with a winning percentage of 86%. Last season, the team lost 3 out of 6 matches at home. They won 2, while one match was inconclusive. In addition to Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru also used Raipur as their home ground and performed brilliantly at both venues. What’s worth noting is that the team never lost more than two consecutive matches throughout the season. At home, Bengaluru defeated strong teams like Sunrisers Hyderabad, Chennai Super Kings, Lucknow Super Giants, and Gujarat Titans. They only lost against the Delhi Capitals at their home ground. Along with capitalising on home conditions, Rajat Patidar’s captaincy was also excellent. He utilised bowlers according to the conditions and the weaknesses of the batsmen. This was the reason the team kept winning consistently in the league stage and reached the playoffs in a strong position. 5. Kohli’s 600+ runs in 4th consecutive season Virat Kohli’s brilliant form was one of the biggest reasons for RCB’s success. He scored more than 600 runs for the fourth consecutive season. What was even more special was that the team’s opening combination kept changing throughout the season, but there was no dip in Kohli’s performance. RCB opener Phil Salt could only play 6 matches due to injury. After this, the team gave a chance to Jacob Bethell, but he could only score 96 runs in 7 matches. In the last matches of the league stage and the playoffs, Venkatesh Iyer opened the innings with Kohli. Despite constantly changing opening partners, Kohli maintained his rhythm. He scored the most runs for the team in the season, 675 runs. In big matches, he anchored the innings, while other batsmen continued to bat aggressively. RCB’s title victory proved that the IPL is not won solely on the strength of star players. A strong team combination, multiple match-winners, balanced bowling, and excellent captaincy are what make a team a champion.